Namibia's Ministry of Environment has announced plans to cull 723 wild animals, including 83 elephants, and distribute their meat to people struggling with food shortages across southern Africa due to a severe drought.
The culls will take place in parks and public areas where officials believe animal numbers are exceeding grazing land and water supplies, authorities said in a statement on Monday.
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South Africa is facing its worst drought in decades and Namibia used up 84 percent of its food reserves last month, according to the United Nations, with almost half of Namibia's population expected to become severely food insecure in the coming months.
The environment ministry said such severe drought is expected to lead to an increase in human-wildlife conflicts if authorities do not intervene.
Elephants roam the Chobe River, which runs along the border between Botswana and Namibia, in Kasane on July 19, 2022. (ZINYANGE AUNTONY/AFP via Getty Images)
“To this end, 83 elephants identified as conflict zones will be culled and their meat will be allocated to drought relief programmes,” the statement said.
The country also plans to cull 30 hippos, 60 buffaloes, 50 impalas, 100 wildebeest, 300 zebras and 100 elands.
Already, 157 animals have been hunted by professional hunters and government-contracted companies, yielding more than 56,800 kilograms of meat.
“This initiative is necessary and consistent with our constitutional obligation to use our natural resources for the benefit of the Namibian people,” the environment ministry said.
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It is estimated that more than 200,000 elephants live in protected areas across five Southern African countries (Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, Angola and Namibia), making the region one of the largest elephant populations in the world.
Last year, hundreds of elephants died in Botswana and Zimbabwe due to drought.
